St. Paul's East Metro Rail Yards project to be focus of meeting

The Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority will host an open house Sept. 19 to inform stakeholders and the public about the East Metro Rail Yards Improvement Project in St. Paul, Minnesota.

A summary of proposed improvements and preliminary environmental impacts will be presented at the meeting, which will be held at the Battle Creek Recreation Center in St. Paul, authority officials said in a press release.

The project's study area extends from Union Depot in St. Paul southeast to Interstate 494. Rail improvements are necessary in the area to enhance the movement of existing trains, as well as make room for future growth in freight- and passenger-rail service.

The project will confirm and refine improvements identified in the 2012 East Metro Rail Capacity Study. An environmental analysis and conceptual engineering for the project are slated to be completed this year.

The East Metro area moves about 10,000 rail cars per day, accommodating 5 percent of the total national freight-rail volume each day, according to the authority.